Cookies, Candies, and Memories
by Oni-Gil
Summary: A few stories about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's childhood together!
1. Cookies

A/N: Not much to say about this one.

* * *

"Sesshoumaru-sama, will you tell Rin a story?" 

Impassive golden eyes met excited brown ones as the Lord of the Western Lands looked blankly down at the little girl he had taken in.

"About what?" Sesshoumaru asked in his normal, too-calm voice. Rin snuggled into her blanket.

"About you," she explained in her small voice. "About Sesshoumaru-sama when he was like Rin!"

Sesshoumaru remained silent, standing out of the shadow of the tree Rin was snuggled under, looking up at the nearly full moon. Why this? Why now?

"Please?" Rin begged. He looked around at her to see that she was giving him "the face." Although her huge puppy eyes and quivering lower lip had no effect on him, the effort was commendable. This had to be her strongest yet. It would probably have his filthy hanyou half-brother cooing and hugging the child. "Please tell Rin?"

Both heads of the dragon were perked up as well, bobbing up and down in agreement. Only Sesshoumaru could possibly manage to make a sigh look elegant, as he did now.

_Only for you_, he said silently, glaring at the dragon. Still standing with his arms folded in front of him, he began his tale.

* * *

"Maru Maru Maru Maru Maru!" 

Sesshoumaru banged his head against the table he was working at as a small red-and-white cannonball zipped into the room, slipped, and hit the wall.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked, tottering over and looking slightly cross-eyed.

"Yes. What do you want?" Sesshoumaru said, voice slightly muffed by the table. Too quietly for his little brother to hear, he added, "What fresh hell is this?"

"I went to see the gardeners but they told me to find someone else to bother. So I went into the kitchens but the cooks kicked me out. Then I went to the stables but the dragons were boring so I went to find Father but he wasn't there, and then I went up to the watchtower but they said it was dangerous, and I couldn't find anyone to play with me, so I came here!"

Sesshoumaru cast a glance around his plain, rather dark room.

"And you thought that I would want to play with you?" he said skeptically. Inuyasha drooped.

"Well, no," he admitted. "But I've been working on my puppy eyes with the cooks until they gave me cookies. So I thought it might work on you!"

It was all Sesshoumaru could do to stop himself from banging his head on the desk again. Would his little dog-eared brother ever learn that you can't tell somebody what you're going to do if it was expected to work? He sighed and glanced at his brother, who was predictably giving him "the face." Admittedly, it was pretty good, but not the most pitiful he'd ever seen.

"Not quite," he informed Inuyasha. He demonstrated the proper version, and his brother squealed at the "cute-ness" and hugged him. Grumbling under his breath, Sesshoumaru stood and extracted himself from Inuyasha.

"Can we go try it on the cooks now?" Inuyasha said excitedly. "We can get cookies out of it. Maybe even a bone."

"No telling Father?"

"No telling Father."

A very rare occurrence took place. Sesshoumaru, the serious older son of the Lord of the Western Lands, actually smiled. Even more astounding, it was a grin.

"Then let's go."

* * *

"Those terrors," the Chief Cook chuckled, shaking his head as he stirred tonight's sauce. His wife giggled. 

"At least they're together," she said. "It's nice to see the little raincloud teaching Inuyasha how to wheedle cookies out of you."

"At least they'll be impervious when their own children try it on them," the cook agreed. "If either of them have any."

"Think they'll be as cute, though?"

"Impossible."

* * *

Inuyasha giggled heartily between enormous bites of the chocolate chip cookie Cook had given him. 

"We sure showed them," he said through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Sure did," Sesshoumaru agreed, not quite laughing but not managing to keep a straight face either as he took a huge chunk out of his own cookie.

The two brothers were locked away in Sesshoumaru's room, bouncing up and down on the bed while they enjoyed the spoils of their victory.

"We're going to have to run around a lot to stop from getting big and fat, like Cook is," Sesshoumaru commented. Inuyasha giggled.

"Or you can teach me swords," he suggested. "Because Father doesn't seem interested."

Sesshoumaru's face smoothed out again.

"Father says you're not strong enough yet," he said, deadpan expression back. "I'm not allowed to teach you because you might get hurt."

Inuyasha frowned, ears drooping. "I'm strong enough!" he insisted, finishing his cookie.

"Father's orders."

Inuyasha sat glumly, watching Sesshoumaru nibbling at his cookie.

"And whatever Father says, goes," he grumbled.

"Cheer up," Sesshoumaru said, snapping his cookie in half and offering the uneaten side to Inuyasha. "As long as there are cookies, the world is fine."

Inuyasha laughed and devoured his cookie.

* * *

Hear hear! Yay for cookies! Stand by for Inuyasha's little story. Care to review? .  



	2. Candies

Part 2: CANDY!

* * *

"We'll stop here and carry on tomorrow." 

Groaning with relief, Shippou flopped down on the grass, followed instantly by Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha began to climb the hill beside them, and Kagome followed after a few seconds.

When he reached the single tree at the summit of the hill, Inuyasha sat against it and relaxed in the shade. He closed his eyes. Kagome stood awkwardly nearby, watching him.

"What are you thinking of?" she asked at last, sitting down next to him and leaning against the tree as well.

"Nothing really," Inuyasha lied. She peered at him suspiciously through narrowed eyes. Seeing the dangerous glint in them, Inuyasha hastily added, "Just… old times."

"Ah," Kagome said, somewhat satisfied. She let her gaze wander into the leafy boughs above. "Old times with Kikyou?"

Inuyasha's sharp ears caught the slightly hurt tone in her voice.

"Not Kikyou," he answered honestly. "Just… thinking back."

"On your childhood?"

Inuyasha nodded. Kagome surveyed him, cocking her head to one side and looking very much like a squirrel.

"That was a while ago," she said, impressed. "Demons have long memories."

"We have to," he explained. "We live so long that with a human memory span too much would be forgotten."

"Like family?" Kagome said slyly. Inuyasha growled quietly.

"You could say that," he grumbled.

They sat in silence. Inuyasha leaned his head back and closed his eyes, clearly lost in thought. Kagome sighed and became very interested in her shoelaces. She could hear Miroku, Sango, and Shippou talking at the bottom of the hill, and laughing. She wished Inuyasha would talk to her some more.

A sudden chuckle made her jump and look quickly at the hanyou. He was smiling broadly, probably at some memory or another.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied instantly. She glared at him.

"Tell me or I'll 'you-know-what' you."

"You wouldn't dare," Inuyasha challenged, eyes snapping open.

"Sit, boy!"

"Gaah!"

Inuyasha slammed into the ground face first. The talking from down the hill stopped.

"Sit boy! Sit boy! SIT SIT SIT!"

Inuyasha hit the ground several more times before he finally cried, "OKAY! I'll talk! I'll talk!" He sat up dizzily, face covered in dirt. Shippou scrambled over the rim of the hill.

"Come here," he called back down. "Inuyasha's going to tell us a story!"

"No I'm…" Inuyasha balked at the murderous look on Kagome's face and inched slowly away. Miroku and Sango joined them, sitting down and staring expectantly at Inuyasha. The hanyou glared daggers at Kagome. "You're going to pay for this," he growled.

"S…"

"No!" he yelped. "All right, all right! Just don't interrupt me, okay?"

* * *

Inuyasha bounced happily along, chattering nonstop to his brick wall of a brother, who didn't seem to be paying attention. They were wandering the back halls of their castle home, looking for something to do. 

Personally, Inuyasha thought Sesshoumaru was taking life _way_ too seriously. He hardly ever smiled, let alone laughed. In fact, Inuyasha had never seen his brother show any emotion at all unless his little brother pestered him. Apparently this was supposed to be good training for later life, when his brother would inherit the Western Lands. Inuyasha wasn't sure what this meant, but it was obviously something important because the servants always did anything Sesshoumaru asked. If Inuyasha asked for a cookie, he'd have to put on his best pout to get it. Sesshoumaru just looked at them, and they practically handed him the entire basket. Inuyasha just didn't get it.

"Want some candy?" Sesshoumaru asked abruptly. Inuyasha was ecstatic.

"Yesyesyes! Candy! Where!"

"Quiet. There's some kids up there with a whole pile of it."

"I get it. You distract them and I'll steal it," Inuyasha whispered. Sesshoumaru gave him a withering look, and Inuyasha shrank down a little. He was beginning to understand why the servants were so afraid of his brother. He was a very intimidating person.

"On second thought, I'll distract," he squeaked, ears perking. Sesshoumaru nodded and they peered around the corner. Sure enough, there were three of the servants' children, sitting around a hoard of candies. Inuyasha's sharp nose picked up the scent of the sweets easily, and his mouth watered.

"Meet back at my room when you've lost them. Go," Sesshoumaru muttered. Inuyasha skipped around the corner and headed for the kids. They clumped defensively around their candy.

"Tag?" Inuyasha asked, flashing them a smile. "Bet you can't catch me!"

As predicted, the three jumped up and scampered towards them. He hung back for a moment to keep them hooked, then shot of into the labyrinth of halls, which he knew by heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sesshoumaru slink out from behind the corner towards the candy.

* * *

It was the work of a few minutes to lose the servants' kids in the halls. Giggling, Inuyasha scurried to Sesshoumaru's room and hopped up onto the bed, letting the door shut behind him. His brother was waiting, the candy in front of him. They dug in, reveling in their success. 

"Father still won't let me use his swords," Inuyasha complained after sampling a particularly delicious morsel. "Not one of them."

"Even _I_ can't use Father's swords yet," Sesshoumaru agreed in his smooth voice. "He always says 'maybe when you're older.' I get older every day, and he still won't let me try them."

"At least you get to fight," Inuyasha growled. "I don't get anything. He always treats me like a baby!"

"You are, compared to him," Sesshoumaru said, raising an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean I can't handle it!"

"Calm down and eat your candy."

They snacked in silence.

"We're _so_ going to be busted," Inuyasha said after a while.

"No we aren't."

"I'm not going to be able to eat a thing at dinner!"

"So? Life's short. Enjoy it while it lasts."

"In other words, you don't get candy every day?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Life is good," he said, raising another candy.

* * *

CANDYCANDYCANDY! Wouldn't you know it, it's barely up for half an hour and it gets a review! Thanks to RurouniMarionu! I know it's uncharacteristic, but who knows what they were like as little squirts, eh? That's it for this story, I think. I've had my fun. Please to review? 


	3. Swimming

Never mind, I'm back to haunt you! If you're happy thank DmonXtrmN8r for telling me I should do another one… now I'm really not sure how long this is going to last! I can tell you they'll all be oneshots, like the last two have been, and not part of a much bigger story.

And wow! Reviewer responses!

Anime Freak Slayer- All right! All right! All right!

Moonmagicks- Thankees!

Laughingstockstables- I bet they were. In fact it's very fun to draw them when they're little twerps.

DmonXtrmN8r- Here, I have a leftover cookie just gotten from the Head Cook. gives cookie

RurouniMarionu- devours cookie Wait... I already replied to you! XD Oh well!

* * *

"Rin likes Sesshoumaru-sama's story," Rin said happily. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama tell Rin another?" 

"You really should go to sleep," Sesshoumaru said at once, having cooked up this excuse just in case.

"Please?" Rin asked pathetically. "One more story for Rin? Rin can't get to sleep without story."

Sesshoumaru wondered vaguely when she had ever stayed awake for lack of a story. But just one more couldn't hurt, could it? He shook himself inwardly. What was he saying? He glanced down at the small girl, who had scooched all the way out into the moonlight. She was looking adoringly up at him.

"One more. That's all."

* * *

Something came flying through the window to bounce off of the leg of Sesshoumaru's chair. It was a small green apple, now bruised from its rough landing. He stood up with a resigned sigh and went to the window. Sure enough, there was Inuyasha, now about fifty human years old, but still a pre-teen in demon years. 

"Come outside," he called up. "Get some sun!"

"Why?" Sesshoumaru called back, voice carrying easily down to his half-brother.

"Because I feel like a little training!"

Sesshoumaru actually got a little excited. "You mean you feel like getting clobbered again?"

Inuyasha waved a hand indifferently. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you always have to win!"

"I always have."

"Not today!"

"Will too."

"Prove it, then!"

Sesshoumaru threw the apple back at him, striking a solid blow on the side of his head. "You're on!" he called, turning from the window.

"Come on, Maru, is that all you've got?" Inuyasha asked about five minutes later. Both were breathing a little harder than they had been.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," Sesshoumaru replied, and they went at it again.

"You said (block) not to call you that (block) in public. There's (attack) nobody around (block) so it's not (block) in public!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head hopelessly, striking at Inuyasha's feet. His half-brother jumped over his blade, coming in quickly for a swing of his own, but Sesshoumaru dodged and managed to hit Inuyasha in the shoulder. Although they were using wooden practice swords, the hit would probably leave a bruise. Inuyasha used the momentum from his previous swing to come all the way around, sweeping under Sesshoumaru's defense and landing a hit on his side. This attack had left his left side horribly open, and Sesshoumaru tapped his sword against Inuyasha's neck.

"I win!"

Both sat down, wooden weapons discarded.

"Aww, how come you always win?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Because I'm older and I've trained longer than you have," Sesshoumaru explained automatically. He said the same thing every single time. Inuyasha shook his head and looked up at the sun.

"Hot today," he said.

"Yep."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yep."

Both jumped to their feet.

"Race you to the lake!" Inuyasha shouted, already taking off. Sesshoumaru shot after him.

Having longer legs, Sesshoumaru won by a long shot. This didn't seem to faze Inuyasha as both peeled off their tops and charged into the blessedly cool water. Inuyasha sighed in relief.

"This feels _so_ good," he said. "Nothing like swimming after getting beat up."

"That's beat_en_ up," Sesshoumaru corrected.

"Whatever," Inuyasha agreed. "Who worries about grammar on a sunny day like this?"

"Me."

"Never mind. It was a rhetorical question anyway."

"Good."

They relaxed in the water, Sesshoumaru staying stoically silent while his little chatterbox of a brother rambled on and on about their former exploits. He let the wind cool his face and listened with half an ear, not really paying attention. He started when Inuyasha spoke his name.

"Maru?"

"What?"

"I don't want things to change. I'll be happy if we didn't get any older and we could hang out like this for the rest of our lives."

"Really."

"Would you like that too? Just staying like this forever?"

Sesshoumaru pondered the question very seriously, gazing at his brother.

"As long as the weather cools off," he said at last. "Then I'd like it."

"I knew it!" Inuyasha crowed jubilantly. He splashed Sesshoumaru, who scowled and sent a wave speeding towards him. Soon they were engaged in a playful splash war, both laughing their to their heart's content and enjoying what little time they had here.

* * *

Yes, what with cookies, candies, and swimming (so far), life is good. Please to review?  



	4. Hide and Seek

Sheesh. So many people are asking for more that I just have to oblige. I'm wrapping it up in the next couple of chapters, okay?

Of course I don't own Inuyasha. (sigh)

Me: What went so wrong? O.o Um… that's next chapter, k?

Moonmagicks: I'm glad you like it so much. I'm hard pressed to write faster/more because this is fanfic #6 that I'm working on, and fanfic #4 that is being posted on the site so far.

Laughingstockstables: More chapters it is, then. They're cute when chibi-fied.

AnimeFreakSlayer: Your fics are good as well! n.n I love cute pet names for Sesshy-sama!

* * *

"That was so sweet!" Kagome sighed. "Will you tell another one?" 

Inuyasha crossed his arms and pulled his legs into his chest. "Nope."

"Please please please?" Shippou begged. "Please tell another?"

Miroku and Sango added their pleas. Inuyasha's ears twitched as the noise assailed them. He "feh"ed, then noticed "the look" of Kagome's face. He hid behind Miroku.

"Fine! One more. But that's it!"

* * *

Inuyasha found his brother deeply engrossed in a book, sitting under a cherry tree in the gardens. 

"Hi, Maru!" he said happily. Sesshoumaru glanced up, blinked in acknowledgment, and looked back down.

"I can't play right now," he said flatly. "I'm reading."

Inuyasha plodded down next to him. "But I'm bored!" he complained. "I don't have anything to do!"

"I do. Go away."

"Pleeeeeeeeeease play with me?"

Sesshoumaru sighed audibly, looking up at the blossoms above.

"All right," he said. "I'll play."

"Yes!" Inuyasha crowed, jumping up. "What're we going to play?"

"Tell you what," Sesshoumaru said, closing his book and standing up. "We'll play hide-and-seek. I'll hide and you try to find me. Then we'll switch."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I get it," he said. "You just want to read your book so you'll find the hardest hiding place in the world and sit there reading."

"Exactly," Sesshoumaru said evenly. "Count to thirty against the tree. No peeking."

The older brother bounded off with the natural jumping ability of a full-blooded demon. Inuyasha leaned against the tree.

"One… two… three…"

Although he was sorely tempted to peek and see which way Sesshoumaru was going, Inuyasha didn't want to cheat. He continued all the way up to forty-two before he realized what he was doing. With a laugh, he walked away from the tree and looked around.

"Now if I were Maru, where would I hide?" he wondered aloud. His brother wanted somewhere to read, so he needed light. That didn't rule out very much, seeing as it was the middle of the day. Inuyasha decided to search in the forest. He used his keen smell to track Sesshoumaru's scent into the trees, where it mingled with that of the forest creatures. Confident that he could tell his own brother's smell from the others, he forged ahead, doing his best to separate the scents and guess their respective owners.

After what seemed like hours he stopped to look around, and began to get a little worried. He wasn't very familiar with this section of the woods. He worried that he had mistaken his brother's scent for another's and gotten himself lost.

"Maru?" he called tremulously. There was no reply. _Well, of course not,_ the more logical side of him argued. _You're playing hide and seek. He won't give away his location._ Inuyasha shrugged the thought aside and sniffed the air again. He was quite sure that that smell leading to the left was Sesshoumaru's. Trusting to his nose, he followed the smell.

The forest appeared to be getting darker. Even the most innocent noises were starting to sound menacing. Every rustle in the bushes had to be a poisonous snake, not a harmless squirrel. The shadows flitting through the trees were giant insects, not birds. Inuyasha stopped again and looked around. Had he been fooled? Tricked? Bamboozled?

"Maru?" he called again. "Are you there?"

Again, all he heard was his own voice fading into the still air. He fidgeted nervously, glancing around the clearing. His dog ears alerted him to a rustling in the nearby bushes. He took a tentative step in that direction. Something exploded out of the shrubbery so suddenly that Inuyasha was bowled over onto his back. He covered his face with his hands, waiting for a bite or a strike or something, but nothing happened. His ears picked up a new sound. Laughter? Familiar laughter, at that, and something you didn't hear every day.

Outraged, Inuyasha scrambled up to see Sesshoumaru, doubled up and shaking with laughter.

"Maru!" the half-demon bellowed. "What was that for!"

"S… sorry!" Sesshoumaru gasped, between huge bursts of mirth. "You… you should have seen the look… on your face!"

Inuyasha didn't know whether to hug or hit him. "I'm never playing hide-and-seek with you again!" he cried, beginning to chuckle himself. Soon the entire forest was ringing with laughter, frightening birds from their trees.

* * *

Okay, that one was really REALLY short. I'm sorry! I'll try to do better next time! Hey! Where are you going? Oh, you're going to review. That's okay then. 


	5. The Inevitable Question

Disclaimer: Inuyasha etc. not mine. Phooey.

A/N: This is going to be one of the shortest chapters I've ever written, just so you know. The idea suggested in a review made me laugh so hard I just had to put it into the story. It's so perfect!

Laughingstockstables: More chapters, coming up... when I get enough ideas XP

Moonmagicks: . Cool!

Mrs. Sesshomaru: Yeah, it figures he'd be a lot different as a kid than as an adult.

sakura-sama: lol XD Here 'tis... congrats and thanks for the idea! ;)

* * *

Rin giggled. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama was really like that?" she asked, tittering. Sesshoumaru made no reply. The inevitable question came. "Tell Rin another?"

"No," Sesshoumaru said flatly. "That was the last one. Go to sleep."

Rin looked like she might cry. "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The full-blood youkai growled in his throat. "Rin… fine. One more."

* * *

The day was a quiet one. It was late autumn and the leaves were almost all off the trees, carpeting the ground with red and gold. Sesshoumaru was reading, as usual, in the branches of one of the taller trees. Inuyasha was up with him, reading as well, for a change. The silence was absolute, until Inuyasha shifted slightly. 

"Maru?"

"What now?"

"Where do babies come from?"

Sesshoumaru stared at his younger brother, a bit of a blush beginning to color his face. "What?" he asked, praying he had heard wrong.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Where do babies come from?"

Oh, dear.

"Um… well…" Sesshoumaru stammered, caught completely off guard for the very first time in his life. He could do it the easy way, and make himself look like an idiot when Inuyasha told someone else, or the hard way and be embarrassed to death. How would his father face such a question? How would _anyone _possibly face such a question? He decided to give him some clues and let him figure the rest out on his own.

"Well… see, there's a boy flower, and there's a girl flower," he began. Inuyasha was hanging on his every word now. "And so a bee is on Boy Flower. Boy Flower dust gets on the bee. So the bee flies to Girl Flower. Dust touches Girl Flower's Seed. Seed falls, and soon… Baby Flower grows!"

"Oh, I see," Inuyasha said. Then he thought for a moment. "No, I don't see," he decided. "Flowers? I asked about babies!"

"See, woman is like a Girl Flower. Man is like the bee, and like the Boy Flower."

"I still don't get it."

"Erm… Girl Flower and Boy Flower love each other. Girl Flower's the mother, Boy Flower's the father. Man and Woman love each other. Man and Woman get married. And then one night…"

"Yes?" Inuyasha pressed. Sesshoumaru blushed.

"See… um… well… er…"

Inuyasha's face lit. "Stork! Stork Demon comes to bring a baby! Aww, Maru, Mother told me about the Stork Demon!" He pondered. "Wait… Boy Flower, Girl Flower, Seed, Baby's small, Man, Woman, Bee, love… It isn't the Stork Demon at all!"

Sesshoumaru breathed a sigh of relief as Inuyasha made a face.

"I get it now!" the young hanyou cried. "That's… that's… _gross!_" He laughed. "Thanks, Maru! Wow, no wonder Mother and Father never told me!"

"Don't tell them where you learned it," Sesshoumaru begged. Inuyasha hugged him and they nearly fell out of the tree.

"Don't worry. You're the best Sesshoumaru I ever had!"

Sesshoumaru extracted himself gingerly and opened up his book. "This Sesshoumaru wants to read his book," he said.

"Me too," Inuyasha agreed emphatically. Sesshoumaru blew an errand strand of hair away from his nose. Now his little half-brother would be hyper all day. Wonderful.

* * *

GWAHAHAHA! I love putting Maru on the spot like that! Review with ideas if you can, because I'm running out!  



	6. Transformation

A/N: So soon, I am back. I got ideas! Thanks a bundle, reviewers!

AnimeFreakSlayer: This one's for you! .

Moonmagicks: Next time possibly. Definitely within the next couple of chapters!

Jessie Sama's BFF: Glad you like it so much!

Sakura Sama: Hmm… maybe… If I do it it would probably be after the other people's ideas because yours was last chapter!

Guardiangirl624: Thankees and I don't know. It's probably because it's really innocent for the inquirer and really embarrassing for the inquiree (is that actually a word?).

I decided to try just going to the childhood part rather than going Back to the Future and just repeating everything I've done before. Let's face it, no matter how many times Maru or Inuyasha says "this is the last one," there'll always be more.

* * *

Inuyasha yawned and stretched. He had been asleep all day, after a late-night hunt with his father and his brother. Now the sun had vanished under the horizon, and stars were blossoming. There was no moon tonight, so the tiny pinpricks were brilliant. Today also happened to be, in human years, his one-hundredth birthday. 

Remembering this, he bounded up from where he had been curled on the bed, giggling.

"I wonder what Maru got me!" he said to himself. He hopped over to his door and reached for the handle. Suddenly he froze. He backed up and peered into the mirror he had just passed. What he saw made him step back. His hair was black!

_What's happening to me?_ he thought, frowning at the raven locks, then noticed something even more alarming. His ears were gone! He reached up to feel around and his fingers brushed two normal, un-furred ears at the sides of his head. They weren't even pointed, like Maru's. And his eyes! They were no longer gold and slit-pupiled. Now they were stormy-grey. Inuyasha proceeded to examine himself and discovered that his claws and fangs were gone as well. He pinched himself, praying that he was going to wake up. But he didn't.

Inuyasha tore out of his room as fast as he could, which was considerably slower than usual. He raced outside to his brother's normal reading tree.

"Maru!" he cried, reaching the base and looking plaintively up at the young demon sitting casually in the branches, reading by the light of a jar of fireflies. "I think something's wrong with me!"

Sesshoumaru looked down and slammed his book shut.

"Oh, you're finally up… Oh dear," he muttered, jumping down. "Inuyasha? That's you, right?"

"Of course it's me," Inuyasha answered, tears burning in his eyes. "What's going on? Why am I so different now?"

Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Nothing's wrong with you," he said at last. "You're just… a little different than everyone else."

"Different?" Inuyasha asked, genuinely confused. "Different how? I've never seen this happen to you, or anyone else!"

"Well," Sesshoumaru said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "You're what we call a _hanyou_. That means that you're only half demon."

"Half demon? How am I a _hanyou_ and you're not? Why aren't we both half demon?"

"It has to do with Father," Sesshoumaru explained. "You see, my mother and your mother are different. But our father is the same."

"So we're not really brothers?" Inuyasha said.

Sesshoumaru looked hurt. "Of course we're brothers," he said. "Let me finish. See, my mother was a demon. Since Mother and Father were both demons, I'm a demon too. But your mother was a human. So you are half-demon, half-human."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose, which looked like Sesshoumaru's now, instead of the odd shape it had had before. "I'm half human? Eew."

"It's not your fault."

"You're saying it's natural for this to happen? But why hasn't it even happened before?" Inuyasha asked.

"I suspect it couldn't happen until you were old enough," Sesshoumaru guessed. "But don't worry, it only happens for this one night every month, on the new moon."

Inuyasha stood in silence, processing the new information.

"Maru?"

"Yes?"

"Because I'm part human, will everyone make fun of me?"

Sesshoumaru scowled and his eyes flickered blood-red for an instant. "They'd better not," he growled. "Or they'll have me to deal with."

"Maru?"

"What?"

"What are stars?" Inuyasha asked, pointing up into the sky. Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"No one really knows," he said. "Most people think they're the spirits of loved ones who have passed away, still watching over us from way up there."

"Really?" Inuyasha said incredulously, craning his neck to see above him. "So they're always watching?"

"To see what they cannot share," Sesshoumaru confirmed.

They stood in silence for a while, just peering through the bare branches at the glimmering stars. Finally Inuyasha voiced a question that had been bothering him.

"Even though I'm part human, do you still love me?"

Sesshoumaru swept him into a rib-cracking hug. "You're still my baby brother, _hanyou_ or no. How could I not?"

* * *

Awwwww… why can't they stay like this forever, eh? Main characters are so cute when they're little kids… then they grow up. Happens to all, except maybe the Kokiri and Peter Pan. 


	7. The Family Reunion from Heck Part 1

Welcome to the Lost Chapter! Simply put, that means that this chapter is written on a different computer and I don't know how I can put it on the same Word document as the rest, as E-Mail is blocked because this is a school computer! Waaaaaaah!

The idea was so great. The others are coming afterwards. But I still need more!

* * *

The morning was magnificent. The sun had broken the horizon with its usual splendor, making the trees sparkle brilliantly with their fall colors. The light glittered off the water of lakes and rivers all around, then rose to meet the castle on the hill. It slipped in through the curtains of a high window, falling across the nearby bed and straight onto the closed eyes of the young hanyou curled up there.

Inuyasha groaned and rolled over, for once not eager to get out of bed. For today was the day of doom he had been brooding about apprehensively. Today was the day of the Family Reunion from Heck.

A soft knock at Inuyasha's door made him grumble incoherently. Sesshoumaru entered silently, shutting the door with a snap behind him. He was already dressed in full court regalia, long hair shining in the slivers of light peeking in, setting off the color of his amber eyes.

"Today's the day," he said, not sounding enthusiastic at all. "Excited?"

"Of seeing all the relatives I hate and having all the ones I like not being there? And all those aunts who pinch my cheeks and squeal about 'how cute' I am and 'how tall' you're getting? And the conservative uncles who all hate me because I'm only half demon? Not in all the Nine Hells," Inuyasha told him decisively.

"Me neither," Sesshoumaru agreed. "All the kids are younger than me. I get the blame when they mess up the cellar."

Traditionally, the younger demons always played and ate in the cellar, while the adults had their boring 'remember that time when…' talks upstairs. Every time there was a party, the cellar became a mess. Being the oldest, Sesshoumaru was always reprimanded for not having kept everyone in line, and delegated to cleaning up afterwards.

"You'd better get cleaned up," Inuyasha's older brother advised. "Jakken's on the warpath."

Inuyasha managed a small laugh. The toad demon, Sesshoumaru's future steward, was such a neat freak. Not wanting to get out of the warmth of his bed, he dressed under the covers, then started on his hair just in time, as Jakken's huge yellow eyes peered around the doorframe.

"Are you boys ready y… Oh. Good. Very good. You'd best come down, the guests are going to start arriving any minute. You teenagers are all the same. Sleeping in until the late hours of the morning, neglecting your appearances unless someone forces you to look nice…" Jakken rambled on and on until Sesshoumaru stood up, shoved him out of the door, and slammed it. Jakken's voice continued to talk, muffled by the door. Inuyasha doubted he had even noticed the change.

"Scatterbrained little toad," he muttered, finishing with his hair and finally crawling out of bed. "I hate family reunions. The only good thing about them is the food."

This prompted the tiniest of laughs from serious Sesshoumaru.

"With you, food is the only good thing in the world."

The brothers left the room, passing Jakken, who was indeed still rambling to the wall, and headed downstairs to the grand entrance hall, where their father awaited them. Some of the guests had already arrived.

"There you are," their father hissed, pushing them towards their young cousins. "Go down to the cellar with them. The rest will be here shortly."

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha exchanged identical long-suffering glances, then ambled over. Their cousins looked just as thrilled to see them too.

"What's up?" asked the oldest, after Sesshoumaru. She was a warlike badger demoness, complete with shining black hair with a stripe down the center, by the name of Shalynn. She was Inuyasha's favorite cousin, although she was by no means nice.

The next oldest, a coyote demon named Etoyok, shrugged indifferently at Sesshoumaru's solemn greeting. The other three were wolf demons, the oldest of which was Inuyasha's least favorite cousin, Koga. He nodded stiffly at Inuyasha, then had the nerve to lead the way to the cellar. They sat in a circle, staring at each other awkwardly.

"So…" Shalynn said at last. "What are we going to do next?"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha shrugged. Etoyok stayed still. Koga glared. The other two leapt up.

"Let's play tag!" they said in unison. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

"That's scary," Inuyasha whispered to his brother. "How do they talk at the same time like that?"

"Twins," Sesshoumaru replied flatly. He raised his voice. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen up."

Everyone else's heads turned in his direction.

"I'm sick and tired of cleaning up the messes you guys cause every year. This time, before you leave, you'll put your own stuff away. And this year, we're not going to play in the Restricted Areas." He pointed dramatically towards the roped-off area of the cellar, where the family kept things of great importance. "Get that into your heads or you will be punished for lack of obedience."

Inuyasha noticed the effect this had on the cousins. Apparently Sesshoumaru didn't just scare the servants. There was silence for a moment. Finally Etoyok stood up.

"I've got an idea," he said bluntly. "We're going to play hide-and-seek… in the dark. There are no windows down here, and we can just blow out the torches. I do it all the time with my friends at home."

Everyone else pondered this.

"That sounds fun," Shalynn said at last. The others nodded. They blew out the torches, leaving them in darkness.

"So who's it?" Koga's voice said from the darkness.

"Not me," came a chorus.

"Gee, boss, looks like you're it," one of Koga's pals giggled.

"Sit down and count to thirty. Out loud," Etoyok commanded. There was the sound of Koga flopping back down onto the cushions, and then the wolf demon began to count. Everyone scattered blindly, using their canine sense of smell to find their way to a good hiding spot. The game was on!

* * *

Is a badger in the dog family? I don't know. Original names are lacking for me (Coyote/Etoyok). And it stands to reason that Koga is a second or third cousin twice removed, however that works, because wolves and dogs are in the same family. So. Reviews? Ideas? 


	8. The Family Reunion from Heck Part 2

I'm sorry I took so long to update. Feel free to maul me, after I thank my reviewers:

InuNightWalker: Thank you for the idea... and many thanks for reminding me about the foxes! Aaah!

SakuraSama:AAAAAHDORAGETITAWAYGETITAWAY...

LaughingstockStables: Oops... thanks... feel free to correct me. There's so many different spellings of these names around here that I get confused... in fact, I'm not entirely sure if Maru has a "sesshoumaru" or just a "sesshomaru" anymore... HELLLP!

Inujoey20: Thank you very much!

CrossoverFan: Why hello there, I know you! Thanks for the review... and all the comments on dev.art!

Now on to the story...

* * *

_What's the point of hide-and-seek in the dark if we can smell everyone anyway?_ Koga had thought scornfully, while he was still counting. 

Now, however, poor Koga was realizing the tricks his nose could play. Already they had been down in the cellar so often that their scents lingered everywhere. Even worse, they criss-crossed with each other often, confusing him beyond belief. Wolf, badger, coyote, and dog smells all blended together, making him slightly dizzy.

_Aw, man, _he thought. _I have to do this the _human_ way!_

Abandoning his acute sense of smell, Koga wandered blindly around, arms outstretched, trying to figure out exactly where he was. He slammed headfirst into a bookshelf, and dusty volumes cascaded down onto his head. He swore violently. Somebody giggled nearby. He pounced, but missed. The giggle came again. He ducked down to his hands and knees and felt under a bed nearby, and felt someone.

"Got you!" he cried triumphantly. "Trust a badger to get low."

"Okay, twerp, I'm it. Everyone switch hiding places!" Shalynn called. She began to count. Instantly there was a flurry of movement as the others abandoned their hiding spots to find new sanctuaries.

So they continued for the next hour or so. Ingenious hiding places were discovered. For instance, Etoyok was found curled on top of a shelf. Topping this feat, Inuyasha hid inside a crate. Sesshoumaru even wedged himself between to beams… ten feet above everyone else's heads.

At last, just as they were beginning to get bored, the door at the top of the cellar stairs was opened. Etoyok's father poked his head in.

"Time for lunch," he called gruffly.

"But dad," Etoyok whined.

"NOW," the coyote demon snapped, and the young demons hurried up. Nobody disobeyed Etoyok's father.

"I'm first," Sesshoumaru announced, taking his place in line behind the grown-ups. Nobody dared disagree as he pulled Inuyasha into place behind him. Shalynn followed, then Etoyok. Koga pushed his friends out of the way to get in line next.

"Eew," Inuyasha said, sniffing at the food on the long table dubiously. "What is this stuff? Is it edible?"

Old Myoga, the flea demon who had been assigned to Inuyasha by their father, hopped onto Inuyasha's nose.

"Master Inuyasha," he said, his annoying voice making the others wince. "Your father says to be sure to eat the vegetables as well, not just the meat. It will make you strong, like your brother."

Inuyasha growled as Koga sniggered.

"At least the pickled radish," Myoga pleaded. "Or your father will pull my legs off and feed them to the crows!"

"Now, would that be such a bad thing?" Sesshoumaru asked, not missing a beat. He reached back and flicked Myoga away. The flea demon soared away, hitting a wall and falling to the floor.

However, when he was sure nobody else could hear, Sesshoumaru nudged Inuyasha in the ribs with his elbow.

"The pickled radish _is_ really good. Looks like it's the _only_ good thing," he whispered confidentially. Inuyasha had a strange feeling of foreboding.

Little did Sesshoumaru know that he had just introduced Inuyasha to his favorite food, which would eventually lead to said hanyou being pounded into the ground by a certain human girl from the future… using only the word "sit," no less.

Lunch was a disgusting affair, at least from the younger demons' point of view. They were forced to sit with _grown-ups_!

"All they ever talk about is food, politics, war, and Auntie Masumi's baby," Koga grumbled.

All the women were crowded around the long-pregnant fox demoness, including Shalynn, making excited exclamations and flooding her with questions.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We think it's a boy."

"Will he look just like you or his father?"

"We suspect he'll look more like his father."

"Will he be a kitsune too?"

"Of course."

"What are you going to name him?"

"We're going to call him Shippou."

"Oh, what a sweet name!"

"Babies," Inuyasha grumbled, chomping on his pickled radish. "Can't stand them. I bet that little kitsune will be worse than any."

"Only time will tell," Koga replied, tearing into his leg of mutton.

The rest of the afternoon progressed slowly and agonizingly. After being mobbed by all the my-my-look-how-you've-grown uncles and the cheek-pincher-oh-he's-so-adorable aunts, the youkai youths passed the time by playing charades, something which Inuyasha loathed but Sesshoumaru was quite good at. They also played Truth or Dare, that utterly embarrasing, humiliating game which Sesshoumaru despised but Inuyasha thrived in.

At last it was time for the final hurdle, the test of all tests, the head of the pantheon of torture:

The family dinner.

* * *

Dun dun dun dun... 

Oh yes, the pickled radish comes in in the first Inuyasha movie... very funny.

The call for ideas still stands! Please review... I promise nothing but it just might help me to update faster if you make me feel guilty enough!


	9. The Family Reunion from Heck Part 3

Review responses and A/N:

I'm sooooooo sorry for the long wait (again!)… Please forgive!

Jimmy the Gothic Egg- So happy to get a review from you, incidentally, I love your stories.

Laughingstockstable- Pickled radish comes from the epilogue of the first IY movie… very funny.

Moonmagicks- sniff please forgive me for your long wait…

Inujoey- Thank you.

Inuyashafangirl007- I bet it is pretty gross, but apparently Inuyasha likes it, sooo…

Kuang- Yes, I sometimes get sick of all the Maru vs. Inuyasha fics… I mean, they are brothers, after all!

LadyRen- Thanks, and here's the update!

* * *

So it's a short update, but at least it's there. This is basically just to give you something to read until I get the next chapter done, which should be quite soon!

* * *

"Radish, radish, radish," Inuyasha said in a sing-song voice under his breath, serving himself some more. Sesshoumaru stifled a snicker as their father looked curiously on from the "adult table." 

"Father must be confused," he whispered to his little brother. "You've never been so keen on your vegetables."

Inuyasha snickered.

"Radishes," Koga grumbled, serving himself a hunk of steak. "Sissy food."

Inuyasha stuck his tongue out at his cousin and helped himself to some steak as well. "Are you calling me sissy?" he hissed, so the adults wouldn't hear and come to stop the argument.

"Who else, sissy?" Koga retorted. A pea hit him between the eyes and rolled under the table. Etoyok's face was smug. Koga retaliated by flicking a grape at her.

"Stop it, you two…" Shalynn began, but there was no stopping a foodfight once it had begun…

* * *

Inuyasha flopped down onto his bed, patting his very full stomach with a satisfied sigh. Sesshoumaru sat down on the bed next to him, rubbing his eyes. 

"All in all, that wasn't quite the worst family reunion I've had," he said sleepily. Inuyasha nodded with a yawn.

"Especially that foodfight."

"Father's furious, you know."

"Yeah… he'll be making us do extra chores for months."

The brothers sat in silence for a while.

"You know, Maru," Inuyasha said at last, "Not once did anyone call me a half-breed."

"That's right. Because if they had, they would have had to answer to me and get a plateful of pie down their backs."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked, sitting up.

"Sure," Sesshoumaru said with a shrug. "I'm your big brother, aren't I? Isn't that what big brothers are for?"

"Thanks, Maru," Inuyasha said, smothering his brother with an enormous hug.

There was another minute of silence, during which one of the servants came in to remind Sesshoumaru that he was confined to his room for a week for sticking a wet grape down Aunt Mabel's robes when she wasn't looking.

"Will you always do that, Maru?" Inuyasha asked, snuggling into his blankets.

"Do what?" Sesshoumaru replied, tucking his little brother in.

"Dump pie down people's shirts if they call me a half-breed?"

Sesshoumaru choked back a laugh.

"Maybe I'll advance from pie later on."

"But will you still defend me?"

"Sure, kid. That's what big brothers are for."

Inuyasha smiled happily as Sesshoumaru put out the torches.

"Hey, Maru?" he muttered, half-asleep already.

"What, twerp?"

"You'll always be my big brother, right?"

"Well, you can't very well change something like that, can you?" Sesshoumaru laughed, bopping his little brother over the head with a fluffy pillow.

"I mean like you are now! All laughing and having fun with me?"

Sesshoumaru opened the door, still chuckling, as Inuyasha flailed around trying to hit him.

"Of course I will."

"Is that a promise?" Inuyasha asked stubbornly, sitting up.

"Womb to tomb."

"Yesss!"

Inuyasha bounced up and down on the bed. Sesshoumaru eyed him critically.

"You won't ever grow up," he said with a sigh. "But I like you better this way anyway."

"G'night, Maru!"

"G'night, Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru shut the door, leaving Inuyasha in the comfortable darkness of his room. The young half-demon buried himself in his warm bedsheets and was asleep in an instant, thumb in his mouth.


	10. Snow Day

A/N and Reviewer Responses: Wow… It's very nice to get seven reviews in one day! And it's amazing that I updated so fast… maybe it was from all the reviews (hint hint).

Kuang: Not sounding mean at all! Here's to a prompt update, ne?

Ultra-violet-catasrophe: Ah, but that's 50 in human years, only about ten in demon years.

GothicCotton: Needs work… take lessons from Maru and Inuyasha… but here's your update anyway!

Ryuchan: It's a nice change, isn't it? Funfunfun…

The-world-needs-peace: A couple of people have already asked for that… heheheh…

Inuyashafangirl007: Soon enough?

Moonmagicks: I'll be careful, don't worry…

* * *

Sesshoumaru woke up to his brother bouncing on the bed. 

"Maru Maru Maru!" Inuyasha cried. "It snowed again last night!"

Sesshoumaru sat up with a yawn. He rubbed his eyes, then looked out of the window to see that the ground below was blanketed in white. He leapt up, shoved Inuyasha out the door, slammed it, and changed into his normal clothes. Then he dashed out, grabbing Inuyasha by the scruff of his neck as he did. Together they pounded down several flights of stairs and along several hallways, startled castle folk diving aside as they rushed past.

Finally they burst out of the front doors and collapsed into the snow, rolling around joyfully.

"Snowsnowsnowsnow," Inuyasha sang joyfully. "It snowed!"

He flapped his arms and legs idly.

"Look, Maru! Snow demon!" he crowed, standing up to admire his work.

"Inuyasha! Come on!" Sesshoumaru called.

He led the way to the armory, where they managed to wrestle a shield away from the smith. Inuyasha gave a whoop, snatched the shield, and ran for the hills, Sesshoumaru following at top speed. Sesshoumaru recaptured the shield.

"Me first," he said. "I'm bigger."

He plopped down on the shield and Inuyasha gave him a push. He skidded down the hill, wiping out at the bottom, and then lugged it back up. Inuyasha attempted to dive on the shield but missed entirely. He rolled all the way down the hill, gathering snow as he went, and ended up looking like a giant snowball.

"It's not funny," he pouted, as he made it back up to the top of the hill. "Sledding's no fun. Let's make a snowman."

"Sore loser," Sesshoumaru muttered teasingly, earning a snowball in the back of the head.

"What'd you call me?" Inuyasha roared, chucking another snowball. Sesshoumaru ducked, scooping up some snow at the same time.

"You dare throw a snowball at I, Sesshoumaru?" he cried, ducking behind a small mound of snow. "Face the consequences!"

A furious snowball fight commenced, in which both combatants found safe havens but still managed to get hit in the face more than once. Both had trained in the fine art of snow projectiles from an early age, so they were equal opponents. A few servants dared to try to cross the battlefield, but were quickly shot down and had to be carried away.

* * *

When the two mischievous demons came inside at last, they were cold, covered in snow from head to toe, and soaked to the bone, but satisfied. Each was sure that they had won the battle. 

"I really clobbered you that time."

"Are you kidding? I so kicked your…"

"Ha! You're just jealous because you know that I really _did_ beat you!"

"You're crazy. I knocked you right off your feet once!"

It took a warm fire and some steaming hot chocolate to calm them down. They snuggled under a warm blanket, sipping out of large mugs, and listened to the servants singing carols outside.

The two troublemakers managed to smuggle some more cookies up to Sesshoumaru's room. They bounced on his bed, chomping away, until the chambermaid came to tell Inuyasha to go to bed.

The young half-demon yawned hugely, then stuffed the rest of the cookie he was eating down his throat.

"'Night, Maru," he said, starting to climb down from the bed. "And just so we're clear on this, I totally beat you."

Sesshoumaru tugged on his little brother's ears playfully.

"You're not fooling anyone, kid. I was clearly the victor."

"No you weren't! Loraine, who won?"

The flustered maid looked from one pair of glaring eyes to the other.

"Well, it was a very close fight…" she began, but the two children cut her off.

"No it wasn't! One of us won!"

"Which was it?"

The maid went slightly pink.

"Young Master Sesshoumaru," she said quickly, then picked up Inuyasha by the scruff of his neck and started to carry him off to his bedroom. Sesshoumaru could hear his brother's protests all the way down the hall.

"Yarr, gerrof me! I won! I won! How could he ever beat me at snowballs? Leggo! I'm not tired, I tell you! I said let go! Aren't you supposed to obey me? Let go! I'm not a baby, I can walk on my own! Arrrgh!"

Sesshoumaru kept his dignified silence, with difficulty, until Jaken came to close his door and put out the lights.

"Excellent battle, my lord," the toad demon rambled as he scurried around, blowing out the torches. "Wonderful strategy. Although you did seem to go a lot easier on him than you do on poor Jaken."

"Yeah, well," Sesshoumaru muttered, shrugging. He buried his face in his pillow, wishing he had more hot chocolate. The night was freezing, and the cold air was getting in through the chinks in the stone walls of the castle. "He's a little full of himself sometimes, but let him think he was close. He deserves it. He _is_ my little brother, after all."

Jaken nodded sagely. "Well, poor Jaken wishes you could go easily on him too."

"Fat chance," Sesshoumaru muttered as Jaken disappeared. The only one he would go easy on was his little _hanyou _brother, but he wouldn't let on. He didn't think Inuyasha would like it very much if he learned that Sesshoumaru was going easy on him!

* * *

Idea shortage is striking again… I only have three now. Need help! 


	11. Human Hater

"_Achoo!_"

"Bless you."

There was a sorry-sounding sniff. "Shaddup."

Inuyasha glared at his older brother, who was relaxing (or as relaxed as Sesshoumaru ever got) in a chair before the roaring fire. Inuyasha himself was in his bed, with several chambermaids fussing over him.

"Just because you're sick and I'm not..." Sesshoumaru began, lazily flicking his hair over his shoulder.

"You got me sick, stupid!"

"I did no such thing."

The maids shushed them.

"Young Master Inuyasha needs _rest_, Master Sesshoumaru," one of the maids explained. "Perhaps it would be better if you left."

Inuyasha winced at the thinly veiled dismissal. As he had predicted, Sesshoumaru stood, quite calmly.

"I think _you_ should be the one to leave, my dear _human_," the young demon said icily. "And take your compatriots with you."

Whispering fearfully, the maids left. Sesshoumaru settled back into his chair.

"There," he said coolly. "You just have to show these... _humans_ who their master is."

"Why do you hate humans, Maru?"

"I can't believe you're still calling me that."

"But I've always called you that, and nice try at changing the subject, by the way, but I swear I'm not going to get better until you answer."

Sesshoumaru was silent. He glanced quickly at Inuyasha, then looked away again.

"I've always hated humans, just like you've always called me that ridiculous name," he said at last.

"If I stop calling you Maru, will you stop hating humans?" Inuyasha asked. The withering glare his brother gave him made him serious once more. "But..." he said slowly, trying to work something out, "...if you hate humans... Does that mean you hate me, too, because I'm part human?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why do you really hate humans?"

"Do you want that alphabetically or chronologically?"

"Maru! Stop kidding around!"

"I, Sesshoumaru, never kid around."

Inuyasha sighed and said, "I know. That's why you're so serious all the time. You never do anything just for fun anymore."

Sesshoumaru was silent again, so Inuyasha decided to push his luck.

"_So why do you hate humans so much?_"

"I just hate them, all right?" Sesshoumaru snapped. Inuyasha figured he had pushed his luck a bit _too_ far, but then his brother sighed and brushed his hair back again. "Humans are irrational and stubborn."

"So are demons."

"They're pests!"

"Demons are too, sometimes."

"Demons would never betray you."

Inuyasha stopped, shocked. "And humans would?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "They're disloyal and unfaithful. They're born traitors and spies."

"Not all humans are like that," Inuyasha said quietly. "I've heard Father talking about my mother and she..."

"There's the odd one here and there who understands us, perhaps, but almost all of them are wicked and decietful! I can't _stand_ them!" Sesshoumaru cried, standing again, his normally golden eyes beginning to darken.

"Please calm down, Maru," Inuyasha said, a bit frightened. "I know what you're saying, it's just..."

"There's no 'it's just' involved, little brother," Sesshoumaru said. "I'm trying to give you some useful advice. Stay away from humans... they'll only bring you pain."

He swept to the door and opened it.

"I'll send in those chambermaids."

The door slammed behind him. Inuyasha heard his quick footsteps receding.

"What's his problem?" he asked, almost to himself, as the maids returned.

"Shhh, young Master," one said calmingly. "He's just had a bad experience with humans, that's all."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Well, your brother... he... he... just doesn't trust us humans anymore."

"Why not?"

The maids looked at one another. Then one spoke up.

"There was a girl, once. She was out in the meadow one day as your brother passed by."

"She was very beautiful," another piped up. "Although she didn't realize it."

The other glared at her. "Am I telling this story or are you?" Receiving no reply, she went on.

"Your brother saw her picking flowers and fell in love instantly." The maid smiled wistfully. "They had many happy times together... but one day, some soldiers came to stay at the village nearby. As the girl went on an errand, she met a young warrior. He was handsome..."

"More handsome than Maru?" Inuyasha asked in awe.

"Maybe," the maid admitted. "He had dark hair and these amazing eyes... Naturally the girl was struck by his looks and charm. They ran away together, and for many years they lived happily, hidden away, until the girl decided to come back, and her husband came with her."

"What happened to them?"

"Master Sesshoumaru was waiting for them. In his anger, he killed the girl's husband."

"Maru did?" gasped Inuyasha.

"Yes," the maid said, nodding sagely. "But your father forced him to spare the girl... and she's lived here ever since. But your brother never forgave her for what he saw as her betrayal... and indeed it was betrayal, if you look at it the demon way."

"So that's why he hates humans so much?"

"Yes. Now you have to get some rest, young Master, or you'll never get better."

The maids began to bustle out. The one who had told the story was the last to leave. She put out the torches, leaving the fire alight. As she reached the doorway, she stopped and sighed.

"That girl has never forgotten the hours she spent with Sesshoumaru," she whispered, but Inuyasha's sharp dog ears caught every word. Then the maid shut the door, leaving Inuyasha to rest.

* * *

IMPORTANT NOTE! 

I saw the third Inuyasha movie and I now have a spot-on idea of how to finish up this story. So if you have any ideas that you just HAVE to see in the story, send them on in and I'll hold off on the ending for a few more chapters. Of course I am going to do all the other ideas I've received but haven't put up yet, so if you've given me an idea and it's not here yet, don't worry.

Just in case anyone's annoyed with this Oni-Gil for not giving them credit, never fear, at the end there will be a list of all the contributors and their contributions, so you can take your vows then!

Short gap until next update!


	12. Conclusion

Last chapter... sob_  
_

_

* * *

_

_"Whatever happened between you?" Kagome asked curiously. "You seemed to get along just fine!"_

_"Yeah, well, we didn't!" Inuyasha grumbled._

_"Of course you did, so far. But what happened to split you? What went so wrong?"_

_"You really want to know?"_

_"Yeah!"_

_"No you don't."_

_"Yes! Tell us!"_

_"It's uncomfortable, okay?"_

_"Just tell us and it'll be easier."_

_"You think so?"_

_"Yes!"_

_"Pretty determined, aren't you?"_

_"Of course!"_

_"Fine. It happened a while ago, back when I was still young in demon years…"_

_

* * *

_  
"Father…" Sesshoumaru said, tagging along after his father as the Great Dog Demon strode across the grounds. "Where are we going?"

"To an open area."

"Why?"

Sesshoumaru waited, but his father didn't reply. They stopped at the edge of a huge valley next to the castle.

"Do you smell anyone out there, my son?"

Sesshoumaru sniffed. The smells were all at least a day old. "No, Father," he replied, curious to know why his father had brought him here.

"Good."

Sesshoumaru's father reached to his belt. The young demon watched in anticipation as the demon pulled out two of his swords: Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. He thrust them into the ground, side by side.

"Which would you like to try first?"

It was all Sesshoumaru could do to contain his excitement.

"T… try?"

"You've always wanted to, haven't you?"

"Yes… but why can't I use Sounga, Father?"

The Great Dog Demon's face turned stormy.

"Only a demon with great power such as mine can wield Sounga. You are not strong enough."

Disappointed, Sesshoumaru looked at the two swords before him. One was smooth and sleek, and the other looked old and battered. The young demon had seen his father use both swords and knew instantly which he preferred. He reached out a hand and gently touched Tetsusaiga's hilt. It gave him a shock the moment his fingers brushed it. He jumped in surprise, but his father laid a hand on the sword.

"Behave yourself," he rumbled, speaking to Tetsusaiga. Sesshoumaru took the hilt, and this time it let him hold it. The Great Dog Demon waited.

"Well, give it a swing," he said.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, raised the sword high, and brought it down, at the same time concentrating all his demon powers on it. A golden blast shot out from it, knocking the young demon back a few feet. The explosion burrowed along, tearing the ground open as it went, until it dissipated several meters away. Sesshoumaru's father looked vaguely surprised.

"The Wind Scar, at your age. And quite an impressive one at that," he said. "You make me proud, son. But why choose the old, battered one over the Tenseiga?"

"I prefer the power to destroy over the power to protect," Sesshoumaru said flatly.

"You've done enough for today," Sesshoumaru's father said abruptly. "Go home and get something to eat and then get some rest."

"Yes, Father."

Sesshoumaru bowed and took his departure, heading for the main door of the castle. Neither of them noticed a forlorn-looking, red-clad figure watching out of an upstairs window.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was nearly at his room when he heard his little brother call his name. He turned to see Inuyasha, looking stormy-faced. 

"Did you have fun?" he asked.

Sesshoumaru was vaguely confused, and it must have showed, for Inuyasha went on.

"I guess you did," he said bitterly. "You finally got what you wanted, didn't you? Father let you use the Tetsusaiga."

"Yeah, but he wouldn't let me even touch Sounga…"

"Listen, Sesshoumaru, Father's not going to be around forever. He's a great demon and all, but everything dies and he has to leave his swords to someone. You're going to get Sounga eventually, not to mention Tetsusaiga, and I'll probably get stuck with stupid Tenseiga."

"Inuyasha, we don't know what Father's going to do with his swords…"

"Everyone knows you'll get the better ones!" Inuyasha cried, his tone changing to anger. "You're everyone's favorite. Just because you're older you get all the attention and you'll be Father's heir and you'll get Tetsusaiga and Sounga and all the good things while me, poor little brother, will get nothing!"

"_I_ get all the attention?" Sesshoumaru snapped. "You're always getting worked up over dumb things like this!"

"This isn't dumb, Sesshoumaru!"

"Just because you're so cute, with your fluffy little dog ears and your tiny little nose, you get all the love and attention, while I, Sesshoumaru, have to put up with everyone coming to me with their petty problems!"

They were both shouting now, at the same time, and some servants were peeking around the corners at either end of the hallway.

"They all respect you because _you're _going to be their master someday…"

"_… _and you're Father's_ favorite…_"

"_… _and nobody listens to_ me _when I have ideas, they all go to_ Sesshoumaru_, the_ perfect _little prince…"

"… and you're not even a full demon! You're just a filthy_ half-breed!_"

There was a stunned silence. Sesshoumaru's words seemed to keep ringing long after he'd closed his mouth. Everyone was staring openly.

"Fine," Inuyasha said quietly. "I guess I don't need to hang around here."

He turned and pushed a servant out of the way.

"Inuyasha, where are you…"

"I'm running away."

"You can't…"

"I'm _running away_, Sesshoumaru! And don't even think about following me!"

Sesshoumaru stood, shocked, as Inuyasha began to walk away.

"Fine!" he called. "Go! You don't belong here, half-breed!"

There was no reply, except for the distant sound of a door slamming, followed by running footsteps. Sesshoumaru stood for a moment more. Then he barked, "What are you all staring at, human scum? Get back to your work."

Then the young demon stormed away, his footsteps fading into echoes.

* * *

And that's it. Luckily, I already have an idea for my next Inuyasha fic! See y'all then! 


	13. End Credits

End credits!

(eheh, I forgot, so here they are!)

* * *

Sakura sama- Where babies come from 

Family reunion

* * *

InuNightWalker- When Inuyasha turns human 

The reminder that foxes are canines too!

Inuyasha getting sick

* * *

Laughingstockstables- the proper spelling of Jaken

* * *

Ultra-violet-catastrophe/The Almighty Inuyasha- Sesshoumaru's human romance 

(and an idea that I never got a chance to use!)

* * *

Everyone else who reviewed- loads of compliments! 

Next Inuyasha story coming soon, never fear!


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